JONAS WERNER, OWNER of Azure Cafe at 123 Main St., Freeport, said this is the restaurant’s ninth consecutive Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator. The restaurant next March will have been opened for 12 years, and “we do Italian and some basic Maine seafood dishes,” such as fried fish and a lobster roll, he said.

“It’s all about striving for excellence and doing the best we can do,” and taking that approach with the food and wines, said Werner.

Many vineyards, old and new, started making wine for the American pallet, which is softer and slightly more fruit forward, Werner said. Once these permeate the industry they start to change wine, “so what I will do to strive for excellence in the wine list is seek out wine makers who are making wine the way they’ve made it in that place for hundreds of years,” so that it tastes the same as it did when people were drinking it years ago. The Wine Spectator recognition, Werner says, helps draws customers, especially those who know wine. Fairly uncommon within the Maine restaurant industry, Azure Cafe sells wine when it is at its peak ripeness, which is also a draw. For example, 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2012 were all great vintages of Bordeaux and right now, “they’re starting to be done with the 2009s and moved on already. We’re still serving 2003 Bordeaux, which is just coming into ripeness.”